Skip to main content
CrashStats

A338 accidents: crash map and statistics

Police recorded 7,281 collisions on the A338 from 1979 to 2025, with 10,810 casualties. Of those crashes, 197 were fatal and 1,511 serious, and 217 people were killed.

In 2025 there were 80 collisions on the A338, up 48% from 54 in 2024, with 106 casualties.

Live A338 closures, incidents and roadworks are checked every 5 minutes.

Collisions since 1979
7,281
124th highest of 4,923 roads
Casualties
10,810
1.48 per collision
Fatal collisions
197
217 people killed
Serious collisions
1,511
1,904 seriously injured
Collisions in 2025
80
Up 48% on 2024
Casualties in 2025
106
Up 25% on 2024

Crash severity on the A338

On the A338, 2.7% of collisions were fatal and 21% serious, against 1.6% and 18% across Great Britain.

Collisions by severity, 1979 to 2025

  • Fatal1972.7%
  • Serious1,51121%
  • Slight5,57377%

Where the A338 ranks among 4,923 roads

Most collisions
124th
Most casualties
113th
Most fatal collisions
95th
Most serious collisions
113th

A338 accidents by year

Collisions on the A338 peaked at 234 in 1986 and were down to 80 in 2025.

Collisions and casualties on the A338, 1979 to 2025

  • Collisions
  • Collisions in 2025: 80
  • Casualties

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

View as a table
YearCollisionsCasualties
202580106
20245485
202382114
20227998
20217187
20206487
201992137
201892123
201799141
2016100159
201599153
2014131186
2013114168
2012111166
2011114174
2010123172
2009119178
2008134211
2007157228
2006184259
2005184256
2004176259
2003175264
2002182260
2001176273
2000171284
1999183296
1998203310
1997208294
1996216362
1995186262
1994170259
1993199312
1992202311
1991171258
1990193306
1989147229
1988221326
1987196314
1986234330
1985205306
1984220312
1983189260
1982202291
1981199298
1980172233
1979202313

When crashes happen on the A338

Friday has the most collisions on the A338 (1,223), and 3pm to 6pm is the busiest time of day (1,693).

Collisions by day of the week

  • Monday980 (13%)
  • Tuesday1,027 (14%)
  • Wednesday992 (14%)
  • Thursday1,006 (14%)
  • Friday1,223 (17%)
  • Saturday1,087 (15%)
  • Sunday966 (13%)

Collisions by time of day

  • Midnight to 3am295 (4.1%)
  • 3am to 6am151 (2.1%)
  • 6am to 9am1,049 (14%)
  • 9am to noon1,131 (16%)
  • Noon to 3pm1,248 (17%)
  • 3pm to 6pm1,693 (23%)
  • 6pm to 9pm1,084 (15%)
  • 9pm to midnight630 (8.7%)

Collisions by month

  • January601 (8.3%)
  • February494 (6.8%)
  • March551 (7.6%)
  • April530 (7.3%)
  • May630 (8.7%)
  • June598 (8.2%)
  • July689 (9.5%)
  • August669 (9.2%)
  • September638 (8.8%)
  • October634 (8.7%)
  • November663 (9.1%)
  • December584 (8%)

Light conditions at the time

  • Daylight5,281 (73%)
  • Dark, no street lighting1,159 (16%)
  • Dark, street lights lit677 (9.3%)
  • Dark, street lights unlit113 (1.6%)
  • Dark, lighting unknown50 (0.7%)
  • Not recorded1 (under 0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Road and weather conditions in A338 crashes

On the A338, 40% of collisions happened where the speed limit was 60 mph and 65% on a dry road surface.

Speed limit at the scene

  • 20 mph1 (under 0.1%)
  • 30 mph1,495 (21%)
  • 40 mph855 (12%)
  • 50 mph802 (11%)
  • 60 mph2,887 (40%)
  • 70 mph1,241 (17%)

Weather at the time

  • Fine, no high winds5,730 (79%)
  • Raining, no high winds1,030 (14%)
  • Raining with high winds131 (1.8%)
  • Fine with high winds88 (1.2%)
  • Other262 (3.6%)
  • Not recorded40 (0.5%)

Road surface

  • Dry4,713 (65%)
  • Wet or damp2,343 (32%)
  • Frost or ice146 (2%)
  • Snow36 (0.5%)
  • Other37 (0.5%)
  • Not recorded6 (0.1%)

Type of road

  • Single carriageway4,778 (66%)
  • Dual carriageway1,728 (24%)
  • Roundabout606 (8.3%)
  • One way street or slip road165 (2.3%)
  • Not recorded4 (0.1%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

People hurt and vehicles involved in A338 crashes

Car occupants make up 74% of the people killed or injured on the A338, followed by motorcyclists (11%).

Casualties by road user

  • Car occupant8,015 (74%)
  • Motorcyclist1,205 (11%)
  • Cyclist430 (4%)
  • Pedestrian420 (3.9%)
  • Van occupant345 (3.2%)
  • Goods vehicle occupant (over 3.5 tonnes)138 (1.3%)
  • Other253 (2.3%)
  • Not recorded4 (under 0.1%)

Vehicles involved

  • Car10,917 (76%)
  • Motorcycle1,154 (8.1%)
  • Van or goods vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes786 (5.5%)
  • Goods vehicle over 3.5 tonnes591 (4.1%)
  • Pedal cycle447 (3.1%)
  • Bus or coach135 (0.9%)
  • Other260 (1.8%)
  • Not recorded5 (under 0.1%)

Casualties by age

  • 0 to 5184 (1.7%)
  • 6 to 10224 (2.1%)
  • 11 to 15381 (3.5%)
  • 16 to 201,787 (17%)
  • 21 to 251,641 (15%)
  • 26 to 352,194 (20%)
  • 36 to 451,501 (14%)
  • 46 to 551,153 (11%)
  • 56 to 65779 (7.2%)
  • 66 to 75509 (4.7%)
  • Over 75369 (3.4%)
  • Not recorded88 (0.8%)

Drivers, passengers and pedestrians

  • Driver or rider7,187 (66%)
  • Passenger3,203 (30%)
  • Pedestrian420 (3.9%)

Source: Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data

Map of recent crashes on the A338

Map of the 25 most recent crashes on the A338

Use the arrow keys to move the map and the plus and minus keys to zoom.

  • 25 crashes
  • Serious
  • Slight

A338 crashes by council area

Collisions on the A338 were recorded in 7 council areas. Wiltshire has the most, with 2,275, followed by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (1,957) and Vale of White Horse (976).

Collisions on the A338 in each area, 1979 to 2025
RankAreaCollisionsCasualtiesFatalSerious
1stWiltshire2,2753,46671482
2ndBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole1,9572,76930311
3rdVale of White Horse9761,38018196
4thNew Forest9231,43543256
5thWest Berkshire58184018156
6thDorset3906561063
7thTest Valley163243644

A338 crashes by town

Collisions on the A338 were recorded in 10 towns and built-up areas, led by Bournemouth (1,301) and Wantage (220).

Recent crashes on the A338

These are the 25 most recent collisions on the A338, from 16 August to 20 December 2025.

Severity